Deandre Simmons during the Children's Protective Services, Children aging-out of the foster care system and graduating from high school or completing their GED ceremony at Bellaire United Methodist ... more

Photo: James Nielsen, Staff

Caring for foster kids

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When the state takes a child under its care, it is saying in effect, "I can do a better job keeping this child safe than the parents or guardian." Sadly, this may not always be the case, as 10 foster children died from abuse or neglect in fiscal year 2013 ("Foster care system under scrutiny after drownings," Page B1, July 8).

With a shortage of loving homes, the state has to be careful not to impose onerous barriers to becoming a foster parent.

However, the recent drowning deaths of siblings Riley and Jenetta Smith in Lake Georgetown while in foster care raise further concerns as to whether we are striking the right balance.

Texas Child Protective Services contracts with private agencies to place the vast majority of our children in foster care. These placement agencies are responsible for recruiting and training foster-care parents to tackle the difficult and important job of keeping these kids safe. While we commend the faith and compassion of many foster-care parents and their dedication to helping others, some foster parents may enter the system with experience raising children while others may have none.

Those who have experience with children may or may not have dealt with children who have been traumatized. While it takes about the same amount of time to drive from Houston to Midland and back as it does to complete the training needed to qualify as a foster parent for most children, additional required courses ensure that foster parents receive at least 20 hours of training annually.

What's problematic is that no statewide standard for foster-care training exists, according to Ashley Harris, a Child Welfare Policy associate at the nonprofit Texans Care for Children. In other words, the state dictates several topics to be covered but doesn't monitor the specifics that these various agencies are teaching foster parents about safety and other critical issues.

The state's explanation for this wide range of training is thin. "If minimum standards are too prescriptive, it could leave out the opportunity for child placement agencies to design a program that best suits their philosophy and mission," says Patrick Crimmins, CPS media relations manager. While standardization may not be the answer, we question whether the present oversight reaches the needed high level of care.

No one should suppose that somehow the state can perform the same role as loving parents. Would a more in-depth safety course have prevented the recent sibling drownings and saved Riley and Jenetta's lives? We do not know. But drowning is a leading cause of death in children under 5 years of age. Responsible parents would naturally search their hearts as to how such a tragedy could have been avoided. The state should do the same.